Article excerpt

WARNING of the harsh repercussions Quebec faces if it secedes
from Canada, the Canadian government has switched from coaxing
Quebec to stay in the fold to laying down a tougher line.

Barbara McDougall, Canada's secretary of state for external
affairs, acknowledged in a meeting with Monitor editors Nov. 21
that Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's government has shifted its
approach on Quebec sovereignty.

In a wide-ranging interview, Mrs. McDougall - who was named
secretary of state by Mr. Mulroney in April after serving six years
in other ministries - was asked about the effect on Canada's global
influence if Quebec splits off.

"That's not going to happen," she replied, then added: "Or it
will happen over my dead body and the dead body of the prime
minister."

Saying it is "not in anyone's interest that this country split
apart," she affirmed that "a lot of the messages that we are
delivering across Canada are much tougher." She also said Canada's
influence in the world if separation took place "would simply
disappear" and that "it would not be a friendly parting." Her words
echoed the hard line taken by Mulroney during a visit this month to
his home turf of Charlevoix, Quebec.

The shift, analysts say, appears designed to more strongly
counter the separatist Parti Qucois argument that Quebec would
encounter only mild transitional problems if it breaks away.

McDougall contends the government is simply pointing out cold
truths, but others say it further tinges the debate with emotion.

"Which way things go on the sovereignty issue and Mulroney's
proposal will have mostly to do with political atmospherics," says
Charles David, a professor of international relations at the Royal
Military College of St. Jean, Quebec. "Economics, too, are
important since a bad economy usually plays to the federalists. But
atmospherics in the form of loud speeches, misplaced comments could
still take over."

Beyond the domestic hard line, Canada has in the past few months
become more assertive in foreign policy. In mid-October, Mulroney
surprised the 49-member Commonwealth by saying Canada would cut
foreign aid to countries with poor human rights records. …